A time to...

As some of you may have viewed my facebook page, you may have realized I was struggling.  Well, you would be right.  I was not in the best of places last week for sure.  As I was thinking of what to title this blog post, I thought of the verses in Ecclesiastes 3:

There is a time^(A) for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

²     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,^(B)
3     a time to kill^(C) and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent^(D) and a time to speak,
⁸     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

This week was difficult because on Sunday of last week, we realized we were not pregnant.  Yes, we have been trying to have another baby for about 9 months now.  Originally we decided we wanted to have another child before we left Ecuador to come back to the States in November.  We realized a couple of months ago that that was not going to happen.  We kept trying and eventually went to see a doctor.  After 3 months there she recommended a specialist.  So, for the last month we have been seeing a specialist (what felt like every other day) with medicines and shots.  The doctor said that everything was looking good for us to get pregnant last month.  As of Sunday, we realized we weren't.  For most people this wouldn't be that big of a deal-you just keep trying.  However, for us it was a big deal because this was basically the last month I could get pregnant.  Let me explain....

In January of 2013, I will hopefully be starting a job in the States-gaining experience as a Nurse Practitioner for the time we are in the States.  If I had gotten pregnant last month, the baby would have been due in December.  However, any time past that would be going into the work time in the States.  

Joel and I had talked about this possibility, but I never thought it would be a reality that we wouldn't have gotten pregnant by now.  I was thinking by now that we would be well along in the pregnancy, but it is just not what happened.  This last week was a grieving week for me.  Praise the Lord that I have had people around me that are understanding, patient and loving as well as friends who have been faithfully praying for me during this time.  I really didn't want to make this hugely public, but Joel and myself thought it might help me to write about it since it has been difficult to put into words how I am feeling.

Yes, I admit I have been angry as well as questioning "WHY GOD?"  Or maybe better "Why NOT GOD?"  I know in my head that God has a plan, that HIS ways are higher than mine and that there is a TIME for everything.  This week has been trying to help my heart understand what my head knows.  Knowing it doesn't make it easier to come to terms with, but it does give me peace.  Knowing that God knows better.

SO NOW WHAT??????

Well, what we have decided is this month we are going to try to get pregnant-without doctors, without medicine, without anything but God.  We know that if it happens and we do get pregnant that it is nothing short of a miracle and that God is the ONLY one that can make it happen.  If it doesn't happen and we don't get pregnant, we will move on in this time in our lives, knowing that God has something different for us for THIS time.  Not that that will be easy, but we know for sure it will be God.  

So, I know how I WANT to pray.  Of course I want a baby.  But I am getting closer and closer to wanting MORE what God has.  I say that because it's not easy to give up something you want.  I am being brutally honest with myself in that I am not quite there yet.  God IS working and I know He has been with me through everything and more importantly, I know He is GOOD and He is FAITHFUL in working our lives for HIS good.  Pray with us during this month, that God's will will be done...

Soapbox...

If you know me, you know that there are a lot of things I am passionate about.  Unfortantely (more for you than me probably) if you get me talking about these things, I probably could talk your ear off.  I will try to keep this to a minimum with this topic.
I couldn't help but think this would be a great blog topic when I walked by this huge pile of trash that I found on the beach while I was walking the other day.  I was glad to find it on the beach and that it was not in the ocean anymore, but it got me thinking of how many things LIKE this are still floating in the oceans right now.

I don't know if you can see it, but there are plastic bags and other bags wrapped around the branch.  These are things that fish and other animals in the ocean can get caught in and eventually die.

I know I usually have soapboxes more about things like vaccines, medical related stuff and the poor, but I just feel that the oceans as they are are things I want my children and other generations to experience like I have-free of trash.  What do YOU think?
So what do we do about it?  Some things we have adopted in our household is to only use reusable bags when we go to the store.  This is ANY store-the grocery, the market etc...we try to have them with us.  My in-laws always have the bags in their car so they don't forget them!
Another suggestion would be to use a reusable plastic or aluminum bottle or mug for your water and coffee. I HATE plastic water bottles and think they are kind of dumb, especially when you can just refill the bigger water bottles.  Imagine how much less trash there would be if we didn't use plastic bottles...

Lastly, my friend recently posted this and I thought it was noteworthy.  Check out the link
Garbage Patch
What are your thoughts?????????

Easter 2012

Easter here is definitely different than in the States, but we got a piece of the traditions of the States. When Chris and Jenny Hoskins went back to the States in October, they left some Easter goodies for us which we didn't think of much then, but it came in handy last weekend. I never colored Easter eggs much when I was a kid, but I thought it would be a fun tradition to start with Simeon now that he can participate.
So...thank you Chris and Jenny for contributing to our Easter egg coloring this year. It was a fun time!

ANOTHER interesting cultural experience...

I know we will have MANY, MANY cultural experiences living in a different culture. We defintely LOVE our cultural experiences even when we look dumb in the midst of them. This is a different type of cultural experience however...
We were asked by our old babysitter, Valeria, to be the 'consejeros' (advisors) for her new baby Kyler. We were a little nervous about this because we knew it would be difficult to have much responsibility while we're in the States. We learned that, similar to the Christian Church in the States, as advisors, we do just that for the parents and the child, pray for them, etc. We are there for them when they need us. We don't take this responsibility lightly. We want to do the best we can.

We weren't exactly sure what to think regarding the service and what that would entail. The biggest surprise was that Joel walked Kyler around the whole church for everyone to see. It was really cool!

Here are some pictures of the service. We also had lunch afterward with at least half of the church at Valeria's house.